Did Jack Johnson (onetime champion pugilist) ever play poker at the
White House? Certainly not. Last week Col. Charles R. Forbes, head of
the Veterans' Bureau (see p. 18), described a poker party held in the
White House library in 1921. The players were President Harding, Will
H. Hays, Albert Lasker (shipping board chairman), Harry Daugherty
(Attorney General), Harry S. New (Postmaster General), Edward B.
("Ned") McLean (publisher of the Washington Post) and Mrs. McLean.

"During the game," said Col. Forbes,
"Ned McLean announced that Jack Johnson, the prize fighter, was to be
discharged from the Federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, and either Ned
or Albert Lasker exclaimed, 'Why, his old mother used to work for me
and he has a fine of $1000 hanging over him and can't pay it.' Ned
McLean said: 'Albert, I'll give $500 and you give $500 and we will pay
his fine.' The President spoke up: 'Don't let that worry you: I'll
remit the fine,' and the game went on."